There is a famous old saying that a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step, and the same is true of achieving goals. It can often be daunting when looking at a lofty goal because it seems to unattainable, but the key to its achievement is not simply to aim for it and start walking. Instead, keep the end goal in mind but break it down into smaller goals, each of which will lead to progress against the main goal when it is achieved.
Identifying the Main Goal
What the main goal is will depend on individual circumstances, but identifying it is relatively simple. First, be absolutely honest about what it is that must be achieved. If financial security is a must, for example, set down what this actually means; in terms of paying the rent or mortgage and having enough left over for bills and other necessities. Only when the real facts are known can a target be set.
How to Break Goals Into Stages
Taking the example above, let's say the main goal is to be able to pay the rent and other bills through writing. If the combined rent and monthly bills are £600, this can seem like an astronomical amount when starting out as a writer. However, it is important to remember that this is the main goal, and it will be achieved in stages. Now it is time to identify those stages.
The first task is to break the £600 down into more manageable chunks. Taking an average of four weeks in every month, it is possible to set a weekly goal of earning £150 through writing. This is still a large amount, but already it is a lot more achievable than £600. Consider this a medium-level goal.
How to Set a Daily Goal
There are seven days per week but even the most hardy of workaholics will need a day off here and there. It is important to factor this into any calculations, so instead of splitting the £150 total by seven, split it by a more realistic 6 days. This has the advantage of not only factoring in the need for rest but also allows for the potential to play catch-up where necessary without falling behind.
The £150 per week medium-level goal therefore becomes a far more realistic £25 per day; or £3.13 per hour if working a standard eight hour day. This then becomes the low-level, or daily, goal.
The key to success is in not only setting an attainable goal but in knowing how to split that goal into more easily-attainable stages. If each stage is considered a waypoint on the road to success, the path to each waypoint can be similarly split into milestones, which are even easier to reach. By following this system of drilling down, even the most lofty of goals can be attained; with perseverance.
Zoe Kirk-Robinson - Zoë Kirk-Robinson is a freelance writer/artist specialising in legal writing, internet technology and creative writing. She holds a ...
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